


drifting weightless (waves trying to break it)

by HSaijou



Category: Noli Me Tangere & Related Works - José Rizal
Genre: Awkward Tension, Awkwardness, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Happy Independence Day, Humor, I don't know how to tag this anymore, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV Third Person, Unresolved Romantic Tension, drama-ish, elibarra - Freeform, non-au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-11
Packaged: 2018-11-12 20:05:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11169117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HSaijou/pseuds/HSaijou
Summary: “To begin with, the town fiesta of San Diego is near, and I decided to celebrate it by having a picnic with my beloved and some of our friends,” Ibarra explains, his hands making gestures occasionally. “The young women wanted it to be held here at this very lake, and I was wondering if either the two of you would be so kind enough to accompany us.”“How can we possibly accompany you, Señor?”Ibarra smiles brightly. “By being the pilot of your banca.”--(or A non-AU where Ibarra searches for a pilot until he stumbles upon two men, with one of them acting particularly cold towards Ibarra.)





	drifting weightless (waves trying to break it)

**Author's Note:**

> **[SPOILERS: "Noli Me Tangere", Chapter 23]**   
>  **[WARNING: There may be inaccuracies that I have missed, so I'd like to sincerely apologize.]**
> 
> ...And I'm finally back! I apologize for my long absence. It's hard to come up with ideas nowadays, really.  
>  This fanfic had been on my mind ever since a friend of mine and I had a bit of conversation months ago on how Ibarra chose Elias as his pilot. And within the last few weeks, I managed to finish this just on time before school started.  
> Hope you like it and sorry for the errors.
> 
> _Title is from, "Strong" by One Direction_

 

He has been rowing around the same lake for what has been a good few hours until he decides to go back to the shore and get some rest. Despite being in an area (away from the noisy busy town, thankfully) with one huge lake surrounded by a forest of trees, the scorching heat of the sun at midday is unbearable. Because he can’t stay under the sun for too long, fearing he might faint, Tandang Celio rows back to the shore where another  banca was settled.

It belongs to a strange youth who is sitting under a nearby acacia tree. It seems that he is in deep thought, his eyes focused on the ground. Tandang Celio can’t make the most of his face, since the young man is wearing his  salakot and his head is lowered. His slightly worn out clothes look rather dirty, and there are a few small cuts here and there. His body shows that he is someone who does a considerable amount of labor. Going through his overall appearance, Tandang Celio assumes that the youth is most likely someone who lives in the outskirts of the town—someone from the province.

The youth was already there even before Tandang Celio arrived at the lake. When the old fisherman noticed the youth upon his arrival, he was already sitting under the same acacia tree and has been in deep thought since then. He has been there a little longer than Tandang Celio, yet the latter still hasn’t gotten the chance to ask for the former’s name. He didn’t want to disturb the youth from his thoughts nor did the man seem to be one for small talk.

When Tandang Celio finally reaches the shore, he proceeds to walk towards another tree, just near the acacia tree where the youth is taking shelter. As soon as he settled down, he sighs and wipes the sweat off his forehead using the back of his hand. He then, removes his  salakot and places it on the ground beside him. He remains sitting under the shade of the tree to cool himself down and to rest.

“It is a good thing you decided to come back just when the heat has become intolerable,” a deep and gentle voice rings out all of a sudden, surprising Tandang Celio.

The old fisherman turns to the direction of the voice, and then he sees the strange youth smiling as he fixes his  salakot  by lowering it until his eyes cannot be seen anymore. Tandang Celio looks at the man with wide eyes and furrowed eyebrows. He honestly never expected him—between the two of them—to break the silence first.

“You might have fainted in the middle of the lake, had you not come back here sooner,” the youth adds, the smile still remains on his face.

Eventually, Tandang Celio finds himself chuckling as he returns to his original position, his back against the trunk of the tree. “I am considerably too old to even fish,  iho. ”

“How old are you then,  Manong?”

“Next month, I will turn 60, so that makes me 59 now,” Tandang Celio recalls. “And please, just call me, ‘Tandang Celio’.”

“I see. If you insist so, Tandang Celio,” says the youth. There is a momentary pause, before he asks, “Do you have a family, Tandang Celio?”

“Yes, I do,” the old fisherman replies. He looks at the lake as the water moves ever so subtly with the wind. “Even if they are all old enough to look after themselves and their children, I don’t want to stay at home doing nothing and being a burden to them. Which is why, I still continue to fish, even if they tell me not to.”

“It is best for you to listen to them. You have already done enough to raise your children and take care of them until they are old enough to take care of themselves. It would be best if you do stay at home and rest, and let your children do the work for you.”

Tandang Celio’s eyes widen as he turns to look at the youth in awe. At this point, the youth is looking back at Tandang Celio, despite his eyes still remain hidden within the shadows his  salakot  casts. His smile, however, is kind and gentle, that it somehow reminds Tandang Celio of his only son.

“Besides, I am certain they wouldn't like it if you leave them too soon. You are still pretty young, anyway,” the youth continues.

Tandang Celio remains wide-eyed for a few moments, before he sighs. Then, he smiles as he sees his children with their children smiling warmly at him in his mind. “I suppose you are right,  iho . I really do want to stay with them a little longer. I will keep your advice in mind.”

“That is good to hear, then,” the youth finally says before he turns away to face front. He rests his back against the trunk of the tree. He crosses his arms and lowers his head, as if he is settling himself in a position where he can sleep properly.

At that moment, a thought suddenly hits Tandang Celio’s mind that it made him remember that he has something important to ask to the man. “Which reminds me, what—”

“ Aha! I knew it! I was right!”

Both men jolt in surprise as they hear a voice that definitely doesn’t belong to either of them. It sounded as if it belongs to another young man—but it isn’t as rough or deep-sounding as that of the voice of the strange youth. If anything, it sounded a lot gentler.

As Tandang Celio looks around for the source of the voice, he hears the youth clicking his tongue against his teeth as he adjusts his  salakot  again, despite it being already low enough to hide his face. And then, the leaves begin to rustle loudly and roughly, as if someone—more likely,  some people are walking through the many bushes and wild plants around. It is then, followed by the sound of footsteps becoming louder and louder as the perpetrators walk closer to their location.

Coming out from the trees and bushes are two men. One of them dresses almost as similarly as that of the strange youth, but his outfit looks less shabby and much taken care of. He looks just about like any average person from the province, his only outstanding feature being a small scar below his bottom lip. His expression shows concern towards the other man, who stands out the most between the two of them.

With his clean and proper appearance alongside his outfit, it looks as if he is someone from the town—probably one of the noblemen Tandang Celio has never heard of. He seems younger than the first man, and he looks a bit more of a European than a Filipino. The smile on his face shows how delighted and excited he is. His wide eyes sparkle as he exchanges looks between Tandang Celio and the strange youth.

“I knew that there would be at least a fisherman or two here since this is a good place to fish!” the nobleman says, clasping his hands happily.

“You may have been right, Señor,” his companion whispers to him, although Tandang Celio can still hear him. “But, you might have gotten yourself harmed if you went out on your own. It is a good thing I insisted to come along.”

“I am not a child, Salvador. I can take care of myself.” The nobleman raises a dismissive hand to his companion before the latter can complain any further. 

And then, the nobleman proceeds to walk in front of Tandang Celio and the strange youth, his back facing the lake. As soon as he stands in front of them, he bows slightly with his right hand on his chest. “I would like to sincerely apologize for disturbing the two of you during your rest, but I would like to ask a favor to either of you.”

Tandang Celio is amazed by this man’s courteousness. Most of the noblemen he met and knew have rude and brash attitudes, especially towards Filipinos like himself. However, this man in front of him is the best example of what a true nobleman is—proper, polite, and courteous like a gentleman.

“But first, allow to me to introduce myself.” The nobleman raises his head and smiles at them. “My name is Crisostomo Ibarra, and it is a pleasure to meet the two of you. May I ask for your names? ”

Tandang Celio becomes hesitant at first. He looks over at the youth beside him. The latter is holding the brim of his  salakot  lowly to hide his face. It seems that he isn’t willing to talk. Knowing this, Tandang Celio decides to introduce himself first. “I am Celio Cultura. The people who know me call me, ‘Tandang Celio’, so you can call me that, Señor Ibarra.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you then, Tandang Celio,” says Ibarra, bowing lightly at him.

Tandang Celio nods at him, and offers a smile in return. He likes this young man, so proper and so courteous. It seems as if he naturally acts like that to anyone he meets.  If only all the noblemen are just like him…

Ibarra then, turns to the strange youth, expecting him to introduce himself as well. However, the youth remains stubbornly silent, as if he doesn’t like the nobleman in front of him. If there is anything else to imply that, it would be the fact that he doesn’t even try to make any eye contact with him either.

However, it seems that the nobleman either ignores it or isn’t completely aware of the message behind the youth’s actions. He is still looking at him with eyes that show how excited he is to know him.

Assuming that Ibarra is growing impatient, Tandang Celio decides to speak up. “I am sorry for my son’s coldness to you, Señor. To be honest with you, he doesn’t like people like you, thus he refuses to say anything to you, even his own name.”

Ibarra looks at him wide-eyed, and Tandang Celio can feel the strange youth giving him the same surprised look as that of Ibarra’s. However, he fails to notice Ibarra’s companion clenching his fists tightly, trying to contain his anger.

A frown appears in Ibarra’s features, and then, he sighs disappointedly. “That is understandable; you did not have to apologize. Thank you for telling me, regardless.” He offers a smile before he politely asks, “May  you tell me your son’s name, instead?”

“I am sorry once again, Señor, but if I were to tell you, I would be disregarding my son’s wish,” Tandang Celio answers sincerely. “And I would not like that or the possibility my son would hate me simply because of it. Regardless, I can assure you greatly that he is a kind-hearted man.”

“I hope to God that he is,” Ibarra’s companion mutters bitterly under his breath, but it is loud enough for the three of them to hear him. It is as if he wants to be heard by them.

Ibarra’s neck might have snapped when he quickly turns his head to face his companion. 

“Manners, Salvador,” he tells him off. Despite the strict and firm tone in his voice, a hint of gentleness can still be heard.

Salvador becomes taken aback that it takes him a few moments before he finally gets his composure. He quickly bows his head. “My apologies, Señor—”

“I do not need your apologies.” Ibarra interrupts quickly, as he points at Tandang Celio and the strange youth’s general direction. “ They do.”

Tandang Celio notices how Salvador clicks his teeth subtly, before he looks at them. Then, he bows his head. “My sincerest apologies for my words, Tandang Celio.” Regardless of his apology, the tone of his voice indicates that he may not be actually sorry for it.

Tandang Celio accepts it regardless, and waves a dismissive hand. “It’s alright,  iho,  it’s alright.”

Ibarra turns towards Tandang Celio and bows politely at him. “On behalf of my companion, I would like to—”

“You do not have to apologize as well, Señor,” Tandang Celio says as he chuckles. Then, an idea comes into him. “Instead of standing under the sun like that, why don’t you and your companion join us here under the shades of the trees while you discuss the favor you wish to ask?”

Ibarra pauses momentarily and immediately fixes his position. He begins to think about Tandang Celio’s offer for a few seconds before he smiles brightly. “I don’t see why not. The view of the lake must be nice there.”

“Indeed, it is.” Tandang Celio nods. He then, stands up from his seat as Ibarra begins to walk towards them. “You can sit here instead, while I just sit beside this tree. You don’t have to refuse.”

“…Are you sure, Tandang Celio?” Ibarra asks hesitantly.

The old fisherman grins at him, even though he hates grinning at people because he has a missing tooth. “Of course.”

* * *

If one would use the lake as their north, the places of each man present goes as follows: Salvador stands to the farthest right, not willing to sit with the other three. Just about a good distance away from him is the strange youth who is still sitting under the same acacia tree. And then, Tandang Celio sits at the right side of the other tree, which is near the strange youth, with his back against the trunk. Finally, there is Ibarra who is sitting in front of the other tree, which was where Tandang Celio sat originally.

Silence fills the air as all four men are distracted by the scenery in front of them. The water glistens as the sunlight passes through it, giving a clear view to the many things within the lake—from many pebbles to a few fishes. The trees surrounding the area manage to keep the air cool and fresh. Occasionally, the gentle breeze would blow every now and then towards their direction.

At this point, Ibarra finally breaks the silence between them. “As much as we want to continuously admire the beauty of our beloved Motherland, I suppose it is now that I discuss the favor in hand.”

“Speaking of, what is this favor that you want to ask?” Tandang Celio asks as he turns his head a bit to his left side so that he can see Ibarra.

“To begin with, the town fiesta of San Diego is near, and I decided to celebrate it by having a picnic with my beloved and some of our friends,” Ibarra explains, his hands making gestures occasionally. “The young women wanted it to be held here at this very lake, and I was wondering if either the two of you would be so kind enough to accompany us.”

“How can we possibly accompany you, Señor?”

Ibarra smiles brightly. “By being the pilot of your  banca .”

“What do you mean by that?”

“In other words, he is asking if any of us would be willing to not only let him and his company ride our  bancas, but also to pilot it ourselves while they have their get-together.”

Tandang Celio almost jumps in surprise when he finally hears the strange youth speak after such a long time. He even hears Ibarra gasping in surprise. They turn their heads to the youth, and they see his eyes peeking under the  salakot . His expression, however, shows neither disgust nor hatred nor rage. It is a completely neutral face.

The strange youth’s eyes are blank but alive, and they are looking straight at Ibarra’s own. His deep rough yet gentle voice rings out as he asks, “Isn’t that right, Señor?”

When he finds himself staring at the youth in awe for too long, Ibarra blinks for a few times. Quickly, he gets himself together and clears his throat, feeling embarrassed. “I apologize. I didn’t expect you to speak so suddenly. And about your question…” He pauses before he continues, “…If you put it that way, I suppose that is correct.”

“Then, I don’t mind accompanying you, Señor,” Tandang Celio speaks up, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “Assuming that it will only be for a short period of time, I don’t see why not?”

Ibarra’s face lightens up from this. Tandang Celio finds it amusing that he subconsciously smiles because of it. “Well, if that is the case, then—”

“What if it would be for quite a long period of time, then?” the strange youth interjects. He then, looks at Tandang Celio with sincere eyes. “You are too old to even stay under the sun for an hour. Please, don’t force yourself too much.”

“But—”

“Please rest instead, and let me do the work for you. It is for the best, and for your own good.”

Tandang Celio can’t help but stare at the strange youth with surprise and admiration. Despite the fact that he is simply going along with the old fisherman's lie, the youth’s words sounded too genuine to be even a lie. It is as if he meant everything he said, just like a while ago before Ibarra showed up. Tandang Celio might even tear up at this point, for he only gets reminded of his own son even more.

In the end, Tandang Celio sighs as he looks helplessly at the strange youth, though his smile indicates something else. “I suppose, I can’t argue with you any further.”

“Thank you,” the strange youth says before he stands up from his seat. There are many possible things he could be thankful for. Whatever it would be, Tandang Celio still accepts it gratefully.

And then, he proceeds to observe the strange youth walking towards Ibarra, who has remained frozen ever since. Then, the youth stops walking, leaving a good distance between the two of them. He then, fixes his  salakot by raising it high enough for Ibarra to properly see him. 

“However, just because I volunteered doesn’t mean I would be willing to tell you my name.”

Ibarra blinks for a few moments before he manages to smile at him as he begins to act nervously. “Y-Yes, of course. That is understandable.” 

Eventually, he begins to loosen up, as he calmly says, “What is important is that you are willing to do me a favor, and I appreciate it greatly. I can assure you that you will be paid handsomely.”

“I don’t need the money.” The youth raises a dismissive hand. “As long as I could be at your service and also for my old man not to work, that is all there is to it.”

Ibarra’s eyes widen from the youth’s words and then, he smiles. Despite the shadows the leaves cast on them, Tandang Celio can see the faint shade of red on Ibarra’s face. “I admire your thoughtfulness and your kindness, especially to your father.”

“What time shall the picnic begin?” the youth asks instead, completely ignoring Ibarra’s words, much to the latter’s surprise.

“Ah, well,” Ibarra begins, still a bit in shock. “We agreed to meet here at night, actually. If I were to be frank, I don’t think the ladies would even want to go out under this heat.”

“Regardless, I would still be rowing for you. Like I said, I don’t want my old man to tire himself any further.” The strange youth exchanges a quick look at Tandang Celio, the latter smiling at him thankfully. The youth then, turns his attention back to Ibarra and fixes his  salakot again. “What time,  specifically , do you wish for me to come?”

Ibarra hums as he begins to think about it. Meanwhile, Tandang Celio notices how Ibarra still has his eyes focused on the youth’s face, as if he is studying his features while thinking. He wants to either familiarize himself with the youth’s looks or evaluate if the youth is suited for the task. “Will you be free at exactly seven in the evening tomorrow?”

“Absolutely, Señor.”

“Then, my company and I will be expecting you to be there by then. Surely, you won’t be late, will you?”

“I can assure you that I will be there five minutes early.”

Ibarra smiles brightly. “Very well, then!” As if it is on instinct, he gives the youth a firm pat on the shoulder, completely catching him by surprise. 

Reflexively, the youth grabs Ibarra’s wrist and pulls his hand away from his shoulder until he freezes. At this point, the youth’s hand is holding Ibarra’s wrist firmly, while Ibarra’s own hand has gone limp. Both men find themselves staring at each other’s hands with wide eyes for a few moments. Until slowly, they look straight at each other’s eyes at the same time.

In a split second, they both withdrew their hands the moment the youth loosens his grip on Ibarra’s wrist. They have their heads down as they seemingly try to avoid making eye contact with each other. Ibarra is scratching his cheek in a shy manner, while the strange youth adjusts his  salakot  by lowering its brim. Eventually, awkwardness reigns around the silence between the two of them.

Tandang Celio remembers how moments such as this one happen typically to two people who eventually become lovers in the future. He chuckles lightly to himself, thinking about that thought. 

It is after a while when finally, the strange youth decides to break the silence between him and Ibarra. “…I apologize, Señor,” he says, even though he isn’t looking at Ibarra himself. “I just…moved on my own.”

“Ah, no, that’s—I mean,” Ibarra stammers. His hands start to form gestures that indicate that he doesn’t know what to do with them. It is strange, for Tandang Celio, to see the young nobleman acting flustered all of a sudden. “ I  should be the one who should apologize, as I also acted without thinking.”

“I understand, but I should be the one apologizing because I overreacted somehow.”

“No, really, it’s—”

Salvador clears his throat loudly, completely interrupting the two of them. As soon as he got their attention, he speaks up, “Since it’s already settled, shouldn’t we leave now, Señor Ibarra?”

“Wait, give me a few more moments,” Ibarra says, as he slowly turns back to face the strange youth directly. “I have something to ask to you.”

“What is it?” the strange youth asks, as he eventually looks at Ibarra properly now.

“I noticed some scars and bruises on your arm,” the nobleman explains, his voice sincere and curious. “It’s quite unimaginable for a man like you to get so many just from rowing the waters and, quite possibly, from fishing.”

Tandang Celio noticed how the young man flinches from the mention of his scars and bruises, as if he didn’t expect that remark. The youth raises his arm and checks his scars and bruises before looking back at Ibarra. “Well, I did have some other jobs here and there.”

Ibarra nods, understanding the youth’s answer. His eyes are wide, and Tandang Celio can see how they glisten in fascination, most likely from the youth. “I see…No wonder you seem to be more well-built than expected, despite being just a pilot.”

The strange youth smiles as he says, “A pilot needs strong arms to be able to row the  banca  almost all the time. In addition, a pilot must also be a good swimmer as well, in any possible case his life is at stake while on water. It is natural for me to be like this.”

Ibarra chuckles as he nods. “I suppose, you do have a point there. And, since you mentioned about working some other jobs, are you sure you don’t want to be paid?”

The strange youth shakes his head. “I worked a lot, because I didn’t have much money before. Fortunately, I can manage on my own nowadays.”

There is silence for a few moments, before Ibarra sighs. For some reason, it sounds like he is disappointed. “If you say so. But please, let me repay you in any sort of way.”

“You don’t have to, Señor, and I insist it,” says the strange youth. “However, we might never know that maybe in the future, you might be able to repay me.”

Ibarra looks curiously at the youth, his eyebrows furrowed. “And in what way do you think it may be?”

The strange youth lowers his  salakot , now completely hiding his eyes from Ibarra. However, his lips form a playful smile. “We shall see. Now, go. We already made an agreement, didn’t we?”

Ibarra is seemingly distracted for a good few seconds before he blinks and snaps back to reality. “Ah, yes, of course. I guess we shall take our leave. Let’s go now, Salvador.”

Eventually, Salvador begins to walk towards Ibarra’s side. And then, while facing Tandang Celio’s direction, Ibarra gives him a polite smile and a bow. Tandang Celio does the same, and Ibarra turns back to the strange youth once again.

“I am truly thankful and grateful for your kindness,” he says as he bows lightly. “Well then, we shall be expecting you tomorrow night. I hope you will be early as you assured me.”

“I am a man of my word, Señor.” The youth lowers his  salakot  as he bows politely back at him. “Have a safe trip on your way back.”

“Certainly.” And with that, Ibarra bids the two men farewell before he and Salvador leave the area.

As soon as they left, Tandang Celio observes the strange youth standing still on his place, staring at his hand for a while. He then, goes back to the acacia tree and sits there once more. He lets out a heavy sigh before he mutters, “What an interesting young nobleman.”

“Indeed, he is.” Tandang Celio nods in agreement. He looks up to watch the leaves rustling above him along with the wind. “He is a lot different from the noblemen I knew. I would honestly say that he is the most proper nobleman that I’ve ever met in my entire life.”

“Is that so?” The strange youth fixes his  salakot  once more as he settles his position where it would seem as if he is going to sleep. “In all honesty, the same goes for me as well.”

Tandang Celio chuckles. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case. His kind is a rare breed, and if people have the chance to encounter him, they should consider themselves lucky.”

The youth merely hums in agreement.

Silence fills in between the two of them, before Tandang Celio remembers the question he wanted to ask a long while ago. “Which reminds me,  iho , I forgot to ask you this earlier: What  is your name?”

The youth raises his  salakot  as he turns to face Tandang Celio. He looks directly at the old fisherman’s eyes, and then, smiles at him. “It is Elias. I am sorry I forgot to mention it to you, Tandang Celio. Though, I suppose it was better that I didn’t tell my name to you from the beginning. Otherwise, you would have told it to Señor Ibarra back then.”

“You are wrong,  iho ,” Tandang Celio responds as he shakes his head. “Even if you did tell me your name, I still wouldn’t tell him about it, since I could clearly tell you didn’t want him to know who you are.”

The youth—Elias—smiles, as if he is impressed. “I am impressed by the way you can read other people’s mood simply through their actions.”

Tandang Celio laughs. It has been a while since somebody gave him a compliment. Such words never fail to flatter him. “I am a father of five young adults. It is in my nature to be able to understand what people like you are thinking in their heads.”

He hears Elias chuckles before he speaks. “Thank you for everything, Tandang Celio. I appreciate it greatly.”

Tandang Celio simply smiles at him and waves him off. After a while, he says, “Although, I would say that Señor Ibarra was rather interested to you.”

Elias looks at him with a mixture of surprise and confusion. “What makes you think that?”

“I was observing the both of you while you were talking. I couldn’t help myself. Like I said, it is in my nature.” Tandang Celio chuckles to himself. “You can tell it from his eyes that he wants to know more about you. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was why he asked about your scars and bruises, and even commented about your physique.”

“Nonsense.” Elias mutters under his breath as he lowers his  salakot  to cover his eyes. He returns to his original position, his back pressed against the trunk of the tree. “He is just trying to make casual conversation.”

“You  did  find him interesting, correct?”

“Indeed, I did.”

“Do you like him, then?”

Silence.

After a while, when he assumes that Elias has fallen asleep, Tandang Celio decides to forget about their conversation. Until a familiar deep and rough voice speaks out loud:

“I would say so.”

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Philippine Independence Day!
> 
> Thank you very much for reading it until the very end! Kudos and comments are genuinely appreciated.
> 
> Talk to me via [Twitter!](http://twitter.com/HSaijou)


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